There were reports in sections of the online media on Monday that Srinath had joined the BJP. Sections of the media in Bangalore on Monday also reported that Srinath might take on Deve Gowda in their Hasan constituency in the parliament polls.

“I do not know how these reports generated. I have not joined the BJP,” said Srinath said, as reported in the Indian Express.

S Prakash, a BJP spokesperson in Karnataka, also denied the reports. “We have put out a denial. The news was generated by a tweet by a member of Namo Brigade. Srinath has not joined the party. It would have been widely publicised otherwise.”

Sources in the BJP said Namo Brigade had been campaigning for Srinath’s candidature from the Hassan constituency in the parliament polls.